TeachersFirst's Memorial Day Resources

Explore these resources for ideas you can use to connect classroom curriculum to Memorial Day. Whether you choose to focus on Memorial Day and its history for one class period or to include a special curriculum project in honor of veterans, these ideas and resources will get you started.

Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections

Teachers Guide

 

0-12 of 12 

12 Results | sort by:

Less
More

Patriotic Music for July 4th and Memorial Day celebrations! - Celebrations Sounds

Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Here you'll find over one and a half hours of patriotic music for your July 4th and Memorial Day celebrations! The music and video resides on YouTube. If your district ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Here you'll find over one and a half hours of patriotic music for your July 4th and Memorial Day celebrations! The music and video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be available to you.

tag(s): holidays (159), july 4th (13), memorial day (12), veterans (20)

In the Classroom

Use this music as background when students work on projects, especially those for Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. Share this one on your teacher web page just in time for summer so students and parents can enjoy patriotic background music during their holiday celebrations.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Top 10 American Patriotic Songs | Iconic American Songs - U.S. Entrepreneur TV

Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
You may be surprised at these choices for America's top 10 patriotic songs. Most of them reflect more recent events in American History, though a few traditional songs are ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

You may be surprised at these choices for America's top 10 patriotic songs. Most of them reflect more recent events in American History, though a few traditional songs are represented, too. The music and video reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be available to you.

tag(s): july 4th (13), memorial day (12), sept11 (18), veterans (20)

In the Classroom

Choose a few of the more recent songs, and discuss why they are considered patriotic as a class. Then, use as background music when students work on projects for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Veteran's Day.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

ABMC Education - American Battle Monuments Commission & Dept of Veterans Affairs

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
   
ABMC Education's Understanding Sacrifice takes you beyond the facts and figures of World War II battles and provides activities based on the stories of fallen American heroes. Browse...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

ABMC Education's Understanding Sacrifice takes you beyond the facts and figures of World War II battles and provides activities based on the stories of fallen American heroes. Browse the site to find Northern Europe and Mediterranean battle sites or learn about individual fallen heroes. Choose the Activities link to view lessons correlated to Common Core Standards for grades 6-12. Search options also allow you to find lessons by grade level or subject. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): battles (18), heroes (22), veterans (20), world war 2 (149)

In the Classroom

This site is a must-see for any teachers of World War II history. Take students beyond the information about battles to learn about individuals and their role and sacrifices. Be sure to take advantage of the extensive information included in each activity including assessments, lesson extensions, and adaptations. Have students choose one of the stories, then research the battle to learn more about the event's relationship to the war. Extend student learning by having them create maps using Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose various locations on a map of battle locations to tell the story of fallen heroes. Ask local veterans to visit your classroom and share their stories with your class.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project - University of North Carolina Greensboro

Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
The unique viewpoints of U.S. women veterans are well represented in this rich archive of photographs, oral histories, diaries, scrapbooks, and artifacts from the nineteenth century...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

The unique viewpoints of U.S. women veterans are well represented in this rich archive of photographs, oral histories, diaries, scrapbooks, and artifacts from the nineteenth century to the present. The archive is particularly strong for women who served during World War II. It also includes World War I, Korea, Vietnam, The Cold War, Desert Storm, the Gulf Wars and the War on Terror. Search by date, branch of service, conflict, or by type of material, including over 350 oral histories.

tag(s): afghanistan (8), iraq (27), memorial day (12), middle east (43), oral history (14), primary sources (113), terrorism (41), veterans (20), world war 1 (72), world war 2 (149)

In the Classroom

Use this archive for rich, authentic primary source material on the lives of women in the military. Consider having students, individually or in groups, choose a veteran and present her story to classmates. Replace paper reports and enhance learning by using a tool like Slides, reviewed here. Supplement classroom materials associated with a wartime era with the photographs, posters, and diaries provided here. Use these stories as part of a special focus for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or Women's History Month. The archive would also be a particularly rich resource for students considering National History Day Projects.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

PBS Newshour Classroom - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC

Grades
7 to 12
3 Favorites 0  Comments
   
Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students with the background and context needed to understand complex topics. The Daily Videos are ad-free and have related stories along the right side of the page. Read the current events news stories and follow the Extra Twitter feed. Don't miss the many free lesson plans including current events, American history, health, government, holidays, and more. Lesson plans are all aligned to the Common Core standards. Lesson plan topics vary from "Personal reflections on the poetry of Maya Angelou" to "Selma to Montgomery: An introduction to the 1965 marches" and countless others! Look for the Student Voices and Student Reporting Labs for those who would like to be published or to help a local PBS station produce the news.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): civil rights (193), elections (80), holocaust (41), memorial day (12), news (228), pearl harbor (9), poetry (188), veterans (20), video (254), women (135), world war 2 (149)

In the Classroom

Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, extend student learning by having your students engage in a debate using a tool such as Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

History of Memorial Day - History Channel

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Use this quick resource for a lesson, or even an organizing activity at the beginning or end of a class, related to Memorial Day or in recognition of veterans. There ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Use this quick resource for a lesson, or even an organizing activity at the beginning or end of a class, related to Memorial Day or in recognition of veterans. There are several video clips, links to further information, and other resources. There is advertising, both at the beginning of the video clips, and in the margins. Note: You must have the required TV channel subscriptions to view most of the videos and shows.

tag(s): battles (18), holidays (159), memorial day (12), veterans (20)

In the Classroom

Though you may not be able to view the videos, there also links to good content on military history, military leaders, and the various physical memorial sites that honor US military veterans.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Memorial Day - May 30th - Myvocabulary.com

Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Explore vocabulary and word activities related to Memorial Day on this extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more. Find interactive vocabulary activities the same list of using...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Explore vocabulary and word activities related to Memorial Day on this extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more. Find interactive vocabulary activities the same list of using Memorial Day vocabulary words. There are printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): holidays (159), memorial day (12), vocabulary (234)

In the Classroom

Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group responsible to find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Enhance learning by having the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. And of course, don't miss the interactive word puzzles!

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Patriotic Songs - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Grades
K to 8
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Need lyrics to your favorite patriotic song? Find a wealth of patriotic lyrics here with a quick click. . Play the instrumental audio file, as well. Find Yankee Doodle, Navy ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Need lyrics to your favorite patriotic song? Find a wealth of patriotic lyrics here with a quick click. . Play the instrumental audio file, as well. Find Yankee Doodle, Navy Hymn, America the Beautiful, and about twenty other patriotic songs.

Note: Please assume that most songs are copyrighted, so please honor the authors and musicians by not distributing these songs.

tag(s): holidays (159), lyrics (15), memorial day (12), presidents (120), songs (44)

In the Classroom

Enhance your reading program with music. Have students listen to the songs while following the lyrics. Keep this site handy for those patriotic holidays. Use this site in social studies classes to learn the meaning behind some of the most popular patriotic songs. Play the sound in the background during class skits for Presidents' Day or other patriotic occasions.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Memorial Day Activities - David Merchant

Grades
3 to 8
0 Favorites 0  Comments
This nice collection of activities and puzzles - some printable and some interactive - teaches and reinforces the history and meaning behind Memorial Day celebrations. Choose from a...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

This nice collection of activities and puzzles - some printable and some interactive - teaches and reinforces the history and meaning behind Memorial Day celebrations. Choose from a variety of formats and difficulty levels.

tag(s): holidays (159), memorial day (12), puzzles (143)

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities on this site! There are also some practice quizzes and puzzles that would be fun ways to assess students, or have them use the tools to help review the content.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

War Letters - PBS

Grades
9 to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
Teach American history through the words of those who were there. This fascinating site focuses on personal narratives from men and women who captured the horror, sadness, and intensity...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Teach American history through the words of those who were there. This fascinating site focuses on personal narratives from men and women who captured the horror, sadness, and intensity of war. Experiences from the American Revolution to the Persian Gulf War are reflected in featured letters. Although this site is designed around a companion PBS special, much can be learned from the on-line materials without viewing the program. Visit the Teacher's Guide for suggestions on using personal narratives in history class. Other features include a gallery of wartime cartoons, an interactive timeline (1775-1994), and a military postal history trivia game.

tag(s): holidays (159), memorial day (12)

In the Classroom

History, Civics, Economics and Geography teachers will love the free lesson plans and activities offered in the "Teacher Guide" section. Beyond that the site also offers games and movie clips that would help make the site a useful lecture supplement or learning center.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Teach Vietnam - The Learning Experience - Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Created by the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund, the full title of this site is "Echoes From The Wall: History, Learning and Leadership through the Lens of The Vietnam War Era." ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Created by the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund, the full title of this site is "Echoes From The Wall: History, Learning and Leadership through the Lens of The Vietnam War Era." The approach is the Vietnam War era with a focus on history, leadership, citizenship, and civic responsibility. The site has good primary source research materials and an interactive timeline, as well as a detailed teacher's guide with teaching modules. Scroll to the bottom of the page to Outside Resources and find teacher's guides to several topics regarding the Vietnam War.

tag(s): 1950s (9), 1960s (27), memorial day (12), vietnam (35)

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered on this site! All are related back to standards of learning, and provide great resources for teachers who need to cover the Vietnam War. Save the site as a favorite on your classroom computer and refer to it when in need of fresh ideas.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Experiencing War - Library of Congress

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
No, it's not blood and gore up close, but rather a collection of audio reminiscences from American veterans about their experiences in wartime. Created by the Library of Congress as...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

No, it's not blood and gore up close, but rather a collection of audio reminiscences from American veterans about their experiences in wartime. Created by the Library of Congress as part of their American Folklife series, these stories are surprisingly personal and therefore all the more powerful.

tag(s): afghanistan (8), cold war (30), iraq (27), korea (19), memorial day (12), middle east (43), oral history (14), veterans (20), world war 2 (149)

In the Classroom

Use the audio interviews (with an image of the speaker) on an interactive whiteboard or projector to show students what the war was like from the perspective of people on the ground, and the difference between the first hand account and the textbook. This is a great way to not only teach the content, but display for students the difference between a primary and secondary source. To further argue a point, use a Venn diagram on the interactive whiteboard to graphically display the differences. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

0-12 of 12